about
Let’s talk to düsseldorf-based bjorn burkey. multidisciplinary creative director and consultant
Last updated: january 2024
For those that don’t know could you give us an introduction to who you are and what you do?
My first name may be misleading, but I'm American and 34 years old. Moved to Dusseldorf 9 years ago after living in Cologne and Berlin.
Made my way from a working student to Creative Director working at renowned advertising agencies. I now work as a freelance Creative Director and lecturer helping brands and students develop a vision. And execute it.
Tell us about living in Berlin and how it influenced you?
The very competitive design- and advertising scene gave me, at a young age, a glance at how to make it.
Berlin taught me the power of a strong network of friends sharing your passion. The quality of a real creative leader and how much work that allegedly effortless leading style is.
clients i worked for in berlin
What made you come back to the cologne area and stay?
There is something special about the culture and people from the Rheinland (the area along the rhine river). The way to klüngel (hang out), schwaad (talk) and enjoy life. Growing up here and looking back at the time of my first condo in Cologne, Dusseldorf was the missing checkmark on my list. My idea of a 1- or 2 year stay before moving to Hamburg is now more than 8 years old and outdated.
clients i worked for from dusseldorf
And how did you get into the career you have now?
“By mistake” would be a pretty cool answer, but only one side of the coin. Hard work, fun productions, shitty projects, good mentors, dedication, and passion are the not-so-secret ingredients for any career.
In reality, it started at the age of 15. I never was a big gamer, but found my niche in designing logos, t-shirt designs, websites, and display ads for gaming clans. Clan gigs turned into free website jobs for local businesses and into jobs as Graphic Designer and Art Director at agencies.
Agencies i worked for
In 2023 I transitioned from being a creative director at heimatTBWA\, responsible for Nissan DACH, Allianz CEE, Weight Watchers DACH, and new business, to self-employment. Freelancing, founding, lecturing, and consulting.
What does a typical day look like?
Believe it or not, self-employment made me find joy in administration and project management on a level that may scare the toughest accountant. I usually start by checking Jira for open tasks. Clockify turned into my tool of choice for time blocking and time tracking. Invoicing is done by sev desk. In terms of daily inspiration are.na, muzli and YouTube are a no-brainer for me.
However, my typical day is also shaped by the type of project I’m working on. Personal projects, remote agency freelancing, on-site agency freelancing, mentoring, lecturing, consulting, or working on one of my founded companies - every task gets its routine… and a Jira board.
Of course.
And finally, where in the world would you most like to go and explore?
In terms of working experience Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, Barcelona - always happy for agency inquiries. Experiencing those cities on an average day, after on-site working in the office, is something I’m looking forward to. I believe it’s the best way to understand how a city ticks by going to the supermarket for dinner after a day in the office on Wednesday.
In terms of leisure, it’s Israel, South Africa, or Morocco that gets me.
project overview
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